IT IS remarkable that the gorgeous country of Colombia is separated from our own by only one other country, Venezuela, and yet most Guyanese know very little about it. Perhaps people know Colombia as the birthplace of Shakira, or perhaps they know it from its previous role in the global drug trade. Whatever the case, Colombia is so much more than what I could have expected it to be.

The city of Cartagena, especially, is a testament to the kind of Caribbean beauty, with its colonial influences and rich culture, similar in so many ways to our own and can be found along the coast of South America. Apart from the giant colonial-era wall that surrounds the city, Cartagena is perhaps most famous for its film festival, which, like any good artistic festival ensures that its attendees are aware that the event is much more than what it promotes itself to be about.

Yes, the 58th Cartagena International Film Festival (FICCI) is about films, but it is about world cinema rather than just Latin American cinema, it is about Cartagena itself, it is about Colombian culture, and, most importantly, when it comes to attracting tourists, the festival, in true Latin American/Caribbean style, manages to be about both having a good time and enjoying oneself while learning and education.

The way the films are showcased at FICCI this year offer a pattern of viewing that allows a range of films to be shown, a global array of filmmakers to be featured, and, therefore, a worldview of cinema is represented. There are also various sections of screenings. There’s Fiction in the Official Competition, Official Documentary, a section dedicated for Colombia films, a reflection on Spanish Cinema in the last few years, as well tributes to the films of Tilda Swinton, Maribel Verdu and Bruno Dumont, and even other categories of films.

In the future, when Guyana has its own film festival, this would probably be the best pattern to follow, since this ensures that there is something for everyone. Even if you miss one film that you really wanted to see, there are always backups upon backups upon backups to choose from. Films from almost every country in Latin America are showcased, with visits from movie stars, directors, critics and other industry personnel. It is indeed something to be in your chair waiting on a film to begin only to look up and see Oscar-winner, Tilda Swinton, tall and refined, sweep into the same room as you, chased by a barrage of photographers.

Of course, apart from FICCI, Cartagena is also known for its incredible culture, and tourists and other visitors who arrive for the festival inevitably end up being sucked into the multi-coloured vortex of Colombian culture. Food is an important aspect of Cartagena, and being a seaside city, known for its seafood cuisine, dishes made with fish are usually more expensive than anything else on the menu here, but is absolutely worth it, with flavours (coconut, hot pepper, carambola) that remind you of home, blended perfectly with spices (cloves, turmeric, ginger) that remind you of Guyanese food. In Cartagena, there is also a vibrant tradition of arts and crafts, with sculptures and figurines reflecting the African and Native Indian inspirations of the country on prominent display in several small stores around the city.

Lastly, is the general atmosphere of Cartagena at the time of the festival, packed with tourists who walk along the great walls that the colonisers once used as a means of guarding the city against attack. The tourists line the streets in their sundresses and Panama hats, gazing up at the intricate Spanish architecture, shifting through maps, waiting in line to see the movies, climbing into the city’s several horse-drawn carriages, or having drinks and dancing salsa with each other.

It reminds me a lot of New Orleans – there is the same feel of a never-ending party, except in this case, it is a party of people who love the movies.